It is as if African countries are totally incapable of standing by themselves and solving their own problems in their own ways. It is like the reliance on the West is a perennial feature of African politics from which we can never be unshackled from. It is as if we give the West the impression that we have run our own countries in the ground and without them we are left to be devoured by our own transgressions.

Much of the instability in Africa, particulalry in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is due to a myriad of colonial factors coupled with the greed and selfishness of African politicians who fail to establish resolute and astute leadership to fix their own countries and help their own people. The West thrives off this - it gives them the sense that they were right throughout the course of history, that black people are uncivilized and have an affinity towards being war savages. The perpetual reliance on the West has a sickening effect for Africa - it just fosters patronizing politics.

It came as no surprise when the president of the D.R.C Felix Tshisekedi said that his country was ready for more French assistance in quelling the various armed militias in the country who foment unending conflict. He expressed a deep wish to see "France much more present in Africa." And it is clear that more access to the West is just an avenue for them to steal and plunder the vast and rich mineral resources of the Congo.

French president Emmanuel Macron clearly pledged support for Tshisekedi in fighting the armed groups in the country's afflicted east.

Macron was quoted as saying, "France is fully engaged at the side of DRC to fight armed groups which are destabilizing the country." This was said during a meeting in Paris. Macron also said that France would assist in taking a "military dimension" and involve "intelligence" in the quest for peace but he did not reveal any details further than this.

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The presence of imperialist powers under the guise of military assistance in security matters is a pretext for further exploitation of Africa's resources and incessant meddling in African politics. Our leaders continoulsy fail to exude an aura of dominance of their own countries in the presence of foreign powers; whether they are from the West or the East. It is a phenomenon that the continent grapples with, and it leads to further regression of the continent, where development is not even part of the agenda. It is just a fight on who has a bigger slice of the cake as far as natural resources are concerned.

DRC is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of resources, and yet ironically, is one of the poorest and most unstable. Copper, gold, diamonds, cobalt, uranium, coltan and oil are some of the Congo's gifts. The latest "offer" by France should be viewed within the boundaries of skepticism.